Today I read

Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy? by Tim O'Brien.

Billy gets his foot blown off in Vietnam; the foot ends up behind him, still in the boot.

Billy dies, but not because of the explosion--he dies 'cause he's so scared he has a heart attack.

One of the other officers starts laughing about the incident and can't stop. Laughs and laughs.

The guys tell him it's not funny, but he keeps laughing.

And the good news? My students got it--that the laughter was an expression of grief.

Poor, charming Billy.